Cessna 310Q accident near Romeoville, Illinois, February 22, 2011
On February 22, 2011 at about 1:10 am local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N119RS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Romeoville, Illinois (Lewis University airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach/landing to compensate for the ice accumulated on the airframe which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2011 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Romeoville, Illinois · Lewis University · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N119RS · registry record · serial 310Q0906
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that she checked the weather prior to departing on the cross country flight and it appeared that an area of icing had cleared out of the area near the destination airport. While descending through 4,000 feet near the destination, the airplane began to pick up ice quickly. She advised the air traffic controller and cycled the deice boots several times. She reported that she was unable to determine how much ice was accumulating on the airplane and she made the landing approach using normal approach speeds. The airplane touched down hard resulting in substantial damage to the internal structure of the left wing. She reported that after the landing ice was visible along the leading edge of the wings. She stated that she should have maintained a higher airspeed during the approach and landing to prevent the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,654 hours in all; 512 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 6,492 as pilot in command; 5,024 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,962 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 2010; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO-520-E7B (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO-520-E7B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Blatti Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PHN Port Huron MI at 11:20 pm
- Destination: LOT Romeoville IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 5,697 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 1:23 am from LOT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.